I spent Labor Day weekend watching some of my favorite wild places burn. The fires moved dangerously close to my home in the Pacific Northwest. And I wasn't alone. More than 50 large wildfires are currently burning across the western United States, aided by the record-breaking heat waves we experienced this summer. While I was on evacuation watch, friends in Texas were coping with homes destroyed by Hurricane Harvey and others in Florida were bracing for Irma.

It will be weeks or even months before we really know the scale of the damage to homes and businesses, to human lives and wild lives. My thoughts are with everyone who has been touched by these wildfires and storms.

But I can't help also thinking about climate change. In the face of multiple devastating events, the climate deniers leading the country are digging in and blocking solutions that could help prevent these types of events from getting even worse.

Still, there's reason for hope — because there are a lot of compassionate, dedicated people in the world. And together we'll continue to save wildlife and wild places, tackle unsustainable human population growth and overconsumption, and fight climate change to secure a livable future for all. Take care of yourself and each other because we need you in this with us. Thanks for all you do.

For the wild,

Stephanie Feldstein
Population and Sustainability Director
Center for Biological Diversity

P.S. Today's world population is: 7,532,401,277. We can still save room for wildlife — spread the word and share this email.

Chris Thomas takes a bold position in his new book, Inheritors of the Earth, that biodiversity isn't disappearing, but rather it's increasing thanks to human activity. This week population campaigner Leigh Moyer reviewed Inheritors of the Earth. She examines the book's claims about whether nature really is thriving, the rights of species to exist and whether the role humans have played in changing the face of the planet can be considered part of a natural system. Read Leigh's review in The Revelator.

Wild Energy / Center Headquarters Go Solar

This week the Center's Tucson headquarters got a big upgrade: We installed a solar shade structure in the parking lot. Not only will the panels provide much-needed relief from the sweltering Arizona sun, the 25-kilowatt installation generates enough power for the entire office. While the roof of our historic building wasn't suitable for solar panels, the parking lot provided the perfect wildlife-friendly space. Through the new solar panels, we're doing our part to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels while also preserving space for wildlife and their habitats by using already built spaces.

Next weekend, the Center will be launching Ignite Change, a nationwide, volunteer-driven network to stand up to Trump, call out members of Congress, organize locally and be a powerful voice for wildlife, wild places and a livable planet. Here are five ways you can get involved in the resistance today: